Restoration Book 3/3: Hinata's Fate

Chapter 10

My body was fighting to get upright before I could even open my eyes. The moment my consciousness returned, hands were on my shoulders keeping me down in a lying position.

"Hinata, stop! Don't move!"

Pain was shooting through each and every injury on my body, but I didn't care. All I could think about was Naruto's pale face, the dark blood pooling atop his torso. I fought and fought to no avail and quickly ran out of energy. My eyes opened as I panted for breath and cried, letting my body fall back onto whatever I was resting on.

It was Neji holding me down, but Tenten was at his side with tears running heavily down her face as she watched us struggle. My fingers gripped Neji's shirt as I fell into sobs like I had last time I was awake. The room was silent. My brother slowly released his grip on my shoulders and cupped my hands with a somber expression, but he didn't say a word as Tenten and I wept. It was hard to move my left hand since it was wrapped with thick gauze and hurt like crazy with every small motion.

Minutes passed before Tenten rose to her feet and gently pulled my uninjured hand into hers and brought it to her face. I could feel her trembling as she struggled to keep her composure, "He's alive, Hinata. Naruto's alive."

My heart could've stopped in my chest as her words sank in. The memory of Tsunade saying the same thing suddenly right before I fainted suddenly returned and I shot up, this time somehow able to fight both her and Neji as they tried to stop me, "Where is he?" I had to see it with my own eyes.

I struggled to my feet and nearly tumbled to the ground when a harsh pain shot up my leg, but managed to catch myself on the side of what I now recognized as a hospital bed. Neji grabbed my arm, "You need to rest-"

I yanked it out of his grasp and fixed a hard glare on him, "I'm not doing anything until I see him!" He and Tenten shared a look before wordlessly giving in and helping me out of the room.

They walked on either side of me with an arm around my back to help lighten the burden of weight on my injured leg. To my surprise, we went right across the hallway into a room with two beds.

The one closest to the door had Matsuri laying in it and the one further away had Naruto. Both were hooked up to multiple machines and tubes and I found it hard to both look at either of them or look away.

Gaara and Kankuro were at Matsuri's bedside, the older brother asleep with his arms crossed atop the mattress near her feet. The younger one, though, was staring unblinkingly at her face with her hand clasped tightly between both of his. I don't know how long it's been since the battle ended, but he looked like he hadn't slept in days and likely refused to until she awoke.

My attention turned to Naruto as we passed by, Gaara not sparing us even a glance, and I tore myself away from the two assisting me. My knees hit the ground at the side of his bed and I stared wide-eyed at his chest as it slowly rose and fell. He really was alive.

"Hinata, you really shouldn't-" Tenten made a shushing noise at Neji and he got quiet again.

All the books and movies I've ever seen that described grief as feeling like a punch to the gut were surprisingly accurate. It'd felt like the air had been knocked right out of me and I'd struggled immensely with each breath. What they hadn't mentioned was that overwhelming relief feels almost exactly the same. I couldn't bring myself to touch him, even to simply hold his hand. It felt like laying a finger on him would break this wonderful illusion that he'd somehow overcome such a lethal wound.

The door to the room opened again after a few silent minutes and Tsunade's familiar voice met my ears, "What is she doing out of bed? You two get her out of here before she opens her wounds again!"